Vendors had a system — they were supposed to come in, ring the bell, let someone check the contents of their shipment, and then leave once it was verified. Vendors had a system, but that didn't mean they always followed it — and Deck had just finished printing invitations to some party and come away from the press, running a rag over his hands to catch the ink, when he saw the abandoned package next to the bell. He used a penknife to open it, and swore.

Deck tucked the box under his arm and padded back over to the press. "Tess?" he said. Miss Tess, when he was talking to other people — Tess, when it was just the two of them. "The vendor sent the wrong size parchment again."

He hated bringing her bad news; he looked rueful, in the doorway.